Chapter 18 #2
Met the girl of my dreams, fired my lawyer because of her, and killed someone, all in the span of a few months. No fucking wonder I went off the deep end and didn't continue pursuing Brigit. I was too busy spiraling into becoming a serial killer.
"Can we be done talking about that day now, Fomori?" he groans. "It's always such a fucking downer. How about we talk about the first time we successfully pulled off our first murder together? That was fun."
I laugh, "Actually, I think I'm done talking about all of it for now. You've got a bar to open in an hour and I want to go home and—"
"And stalk Brigit," he finishes for me.
“Right,” I laugh. “She can’t have a camera in her hallway, no shared spaces, but… I can. Should have done it before.”
He nods slowly, “I think there's an extra hidden camera back in the office so you don't need to track a new one down."
"Thanks."
After finding it, I tuck the camera into my pocket, planning to install it tonight as soon as the sun goes down.
As I walk out the front door of Mingle, before I even make it down the stairs outside, an unfamiliar voice calls my name.
Out of instinct, I look up, only to be assaulted by the bright flash of cameras in my face.
Before I can react, a handful more surround me, nearly a dozen reporters with their giant cameras and obnoxious voices, clamoring for my attention, calling me both by my legal name and the one they've given me.
Bás Dorcha! Dark Death!
"What are you going to do now that you've been freed?"
"Is it true that you got off on a technicality?"
"Now that you can't be tried for it again, you can tell us. Did you do it?"
"Is it true that you're suffering from amnesia, or was that your lawyers attempt at freeing you?"
"Your lawyer, Clyde Hainswell says you're completely innocent, but the police still believe you're responsible for the deaths of over a dozen people. What do you say to those who feel like our streets are more dangerous with you on them?"
My skin starts buzzing, the rage bubbling beneath it, begging to be let out. Every flash of light and click of the cameras in my fucking face physically hurts, making my head throb as I'm completely frozen in their assault.
I feel like a fucking deer in the headlights, if there were hundreds of headlights coming from every direction, and there was no way to decipher which way was safe to go.
"Mr. Fomori won't be making any statements on this, or any other matter," a strong, professional, beautifully timed voice pipes up over the cacophony.
My eyes land on Brigit, finding her in the madness like a fucking lighthouse in a thunderstorm.
The reporters continue their questions, not caring one bit that I'm not going to be answering them.
"This is a private business, and as such, you're all going to disperse, or the owner will have you all trespassed," she continues, her tone never wavering as she stares down these fucking cretins fighting for a scrap of flesh.
"Hey lady, nice try but this is a public sidewalk,” one of the men argues, resting his camera on one shoulder.
She releases a condescending laugh, pointing one immaculate finger at the decorative fence behind the reporters. "You see that? Right there? That's where the property line starts. Get on the other side of it. Now."
Grumbling, the handful of them file to just the other side of the fence, resuming their questions and bloated statements about my time in the hospital.
Brigit doesn't waste another second or let me remain frozen in time as they continue their bullshit.
She grabs my arm, dragging me back inside the front door to Mingle, closing it behind us.
"Hey," she grabs my hands. I hadn't even realized I had my fingers digging into my temples, trying to ease the pain occurring inside my fucking skull from the ambush. "Cormac, breathe."
My eyes finally focus, and she comes into my line of vision, her face painted with worry and frustration. The pain behind my eyes lessens, dulling into a quiet rumble instead of a deafening roar. "Brigit," I breathe out a sigh of her name.
"Are you okay?" she asks, not releasing my hands in case I try to pry my skull open with them again. "What the hell happened?"
I shake my head, "I don't know. I was just— wait, what are you doing here?"
She holds up a black bundle of fabric, "You left your jacket at my place the other night. I've tried to find some way to get a hold of you, but I don't have your phone number and you're not on social media."
I chuckle through the discomfort in my head, "You couldn't just wait until the next time I got in?"
She doesn't laugh, her face too pulled down with worry to find any humor in how fucking hilarious I am.
"Thank you," I tell her, taking my hoodie from her hand and throwing it onto the nearest barstool. "For getting them off my ass."
She smiles, the expression flat, still too concerned for me to feel anything else.
"Brigiiit!" Sky shouts, walking through the doors with bottles of booze in both his hands. "Whatcha doing here? Did you come all this way just to see me again?"
Her cheeks turn beet red, "No. I was just—" she can't even look at him, the reminder of her last visit here turning her into a stunning display of embarrassment and exhilaration.
"She was returning my jacket," I tell him, releasing her from the obligation to answer. "I left it there the other night when I was setting up her new locks."
"Ah, Cormac. So forgetful."
My eyes narrow, and he just grins like the fucking Cheshire Cat, all too pleased with himself and his stupid joke.
"Well," Brigit clears her throat. "If you're alright, I'm gonna go."
Skyler's face crinkles in confusion, "Why wouldn't he be alright?"
"There's a bunch of fucking reporters outside," I grumble. "They were waiting for me."
"Fuck. Your involvement with Mingle wasn't public knowledge. You're a silent partner here. Someone had to have tipped them off," Sky groans. "Ugh, that's gonna ruin everything for tonight. No way anyone is gonna feel safe to come here when the media is crawling on our doorstep."
"I'll draw them out," I volunteer. "They're here for me. If I leave, they will, too."
"You couldn't even speak out there, Cormac," Brigit whispers. “There's no way you'll get past them without the cameras and shouting messing with you again."
I wave my hand, dismissing her concerns, "I'll be fine. I just wasn't expecting them before. Now that I know they're out there, I can ignore them. I'll peel out of the parking lot like a mad man and that'll give them something to fucking write about that doesn't matter."
She hums uncomfortably, "I don't know. You seemed really messed up."
"I'll do it," Sky volunteers. "Give me your shirt and your keys.
The turtleneck will hide my lack of bat tat.
The sun is starting to go down, I've still got 40 minutes until we open.
Brigit and I will walk out and she'll act like I'm you and try to protect me from them.
Then I'll sneak back in the side door. You just gotta take over prep work.
Wolfy knows what needs to be done still. "
My eyes land on Brigit, who's only turned more and more red at the prospect of being alone with Skyler.
But she nods, "It'll be fine. I did what I came here to do. I'll get him to your car and leave just like I was going to do after delivering your jacket."
Just like I was going to do.
Bullshit.
She knew I was going to find some way to trap her, to keep her just long enough to soak up a little bit of her magnificence, or she wouldn't have come here.
She wanted to see me.
I haven't broken back into her place since we set up the security, and she was feeling a little disappointed that it seems to have worked.
I concede, a plan already forming in my mind on how to fix her disappointment, "Okay."
Stripping out of my shirt, I catch Brigit's gaze landing on my stomach before flitting away, the warmth on her cheeks bleeding into her ears and neck.
Sky and I make the change quickly, and he pulls on my hoodie to hide his face.
Before they can leave, I wrap my arm around Brigit, landing a quick kiss on her temple, "Thanks, Bunny. See you soon."
Then they disappear out the door, the sound of those leeches outside leaking in the door. Her eyes land on me one last time before the door slams shut with my girl and my friend on the other side.
Sky better not give her a hard time.
He's definitely going to.
Fucking hell.